LRGH Meat Partnership (3XMiles Smith Farm.JPG) —295

LACONIA — Patients, employees and visitors at two New Hampshire hospitals will be eating healthier thanks to a new partnership between LRGHealthcare and New Hampshire Meat.Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia and Franklin Regional Hospital in Franklin, part of the LRGHealthcare family, are the first two hospitals to be part of the NH Meat Hospital Program, an initiative designed to provide institutions with locally raised meat. The long-term goal of the program is to support a healthy diet with fresh, high quality meat, free from hormones, antibiotics, artificial additives and preservatives."We are pleased to be providing locally produced, healthy beef to hospital employees, patients, visitors, volunteers, associates and their families," said Miles Smith Farm owner Carole Soule whose farms acts as the aggregator of multiple producers of meat to be sold to the hospitals. "Good food leads to good health and our beef is humanely raised and antibiotic free, offering a healthy option that improves quality of life."To kick off the program, Miles Smith Farm set up product tastings at Franklin Regional Hospital and at Lakes Region General Hospital where staff and visitors sampled locally raised beef."Wellness is always foremost in our minds and this partnership gives us a chance to not only offer a healthier dining experience, but also to educate our patients and employees about the benefits of eating locally raised food," said Shirley Valley, Food and Nutrition Services Director at LRGHealthcare. "Locally raised food is healthy food and this program furthers our mission of promoting better eating habits and supporting our local economy."CAPTION — Carole Soule-Owner of Miles Smith Farm, Andy Hershberger-WMUR, Christine Rueffert- Room Service Supervisor at LRGHealthcare, and Shirley Valley- Food & Nutrition Services Director at LRGHealthcare celebrating the partnership between Miles Smith Farm and LRGHealthcare. (Courtesy photo)